United State-based Nigerian Surgeon, Dr Oluyinka Olutoye, has achieved a feat by performing a rare surgical operation in carrying out a successful operation on an unborn baby with tumour in her mother’s womb.

Professor Olutoye of Texas Children’s Hospital, alongside his surgeon partner carried out the delicate surgery on a 23 weeks old foetus who was removed from the mother’s womb, operated upon and returned to the womb to heal and continue to grow until the baby girl was born at 36 weeks.

Baby Lynlee Hope suffered from a tumour known as Sacrococcygeal Teratoma.

Doctors discovered a tumour in the tailbone of Margaret Boemer’s unborn baby when the mother-to-be went for a routine ultrasound just 16 weeks into her pregnancy.

Dr. Olutoye’s success has made headlines in the US.

The Nigerian Government also congratulated him on Monday.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, felicitated with Dr Olutoye on behalf of the President and people of Nigeria.

According to the statement, President Muhammadu Buhari received the news of the unique feat with excitement and fulfillment and looking forward to meeting with him soonest.

Commended Nigerians in the Diaspora for their positive roles in enhancing the image of the country, Dabiri-Erewa stated that it is important to celebrate Dr Olutoye for the wonderful feat he performed in saving lives and projecting the good image of Nigeria.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President said Nigerians in the Diaspora are a huge potential, playing greater role in all sectors, assuring that her office was working on having a database for all the Nigeria achievers.

“Nigerians are great people, making greater positive impacts in all fields of human endeavour in the Diaspora. Dr Olutoye’s feat is one of such testimonies,” the statement added.

To complement that, Dabiri-Erewa said that Nigeria is working on a National Diaspora Policy guideline geared towards regulating all engagements with all Nigerians in the Diaspora.

According to her, Nigerians in the Diaspora are of high importance to the growth and development of the country.

She appealed to other Nigerians in the Diaspora to emulate the positive image Dr Oluyinka Olutoye has given to Nigeria which earned him recognition.

Dr Olutoye is Co-Director of the Texas Children’s Fetal Center and fetal surgery team member, as well as a general paediatric surgeon in USA.

Dr Olutoye received his medical degree from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, in 1988 and his PhD in anatomy from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, in 1996.

He completed his residency in general surgery at the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals, Virginia Commonwealth University, and his fellowship in paediatric surgery at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pa.

In addition, he is a member of the International Fetal Medicine and Surgery Society and is a Fellow of the Surgical Section of the American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Surgeons; he is also a Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons.